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Summer Research: Institute Supports Nearly 150 STEM Students

Barnard’s 2017 Summer Research Institute supported 147 students who conducted scientific research, working closely with faculty mentors in labs at Barnard and around the New York City area for 10 weeks. Now in its fourth year, the fully subsidized program provides an immersive opportunity for students in biology, chemistry, environmental science, mathematics, neuroscience and behavior, physics and astronomy, and psychology. In addition to their lab work, participants attend lectures and showcase their work.

“The Summer Research Institute is designed to actively build on Barnard's long and successful history of faculty-student research collaborations, and to provide students with exposure to a range of scientific research and methods beyond their laboratory work,” says Provost and Claire Tow Professor of Economics Linda A. Bell. “Our goal, and what will build on the successes of the Institute will be to fully fund SRI such that any student who finds a research mentor will be assured of paid summer science lab research and participation in the SRI.”

President Sian Beilock addressed this year’s SRI student-scholars on July 19, presenting her cognitive science research on how to perform one’s best under stress. She discussed how the brain and mind drive our performance and what societally we can do to improve girls’ and women’s performance, particularly in mathematics.

On July 28, the student-scholars shared their abstracts at the capstone “poster session” event. Eden Tesfaye, Youth Community Liaison from Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office, spoke on behalf of the mayor, congratulating the participants and applauding the College for providing leadership opportunities in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Read the letter here.

Funding is secured through various sources including: The Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation, Con Edison, The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Henry Luce Foundation, and the Mellon Fund for Enhancing the Sciences at Barnard, as well as a number of anonymous donors.